The Highlanders have signed Southern stalwart Tony Brown as their attack coach for the next Super Rugby season.

Brown joins two other former All Blacks - Jon Preston and Scott McLeod - as assistants to head coach Jamie Joseph for the team who finished a disappointing 14th this year. The 38-year-old has been Otago's NPC coach for the past two seasons and will continue in that role next year.

An 18-Test All Blacks fly-half from 1999-2001, Brown is well travelled in Super Rugby. He played 83 games for the Highlanders from 1996-2004 and a final season in 2011. Between then, he had short stints with South African teams the Sharks (2006) and Stormers (2008) as well as a lengthy stint in Japanese club rugby.